Tile-machine.



A. WIGHERTJES.

TILE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1111.3, 1911.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. C.

A. WIGHERTJES.

TILE MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN.3, 1911.

1 ,OOO,469. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, D. C.

A. WIGHERTJES.

TILE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911. 1,000,469, Patented Aug.15, 1911.

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AREND WIGHERTJES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TILE-MACHINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

Application filed January 3, 1911. Serial No. 600,456.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AREND WICHERTJES, a citizen of the United States,and residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tile-Machines, of whichthe following is a complete specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved tilemachine of great efficiency; to provide a tile machine in which themolds may be quickly filled with tile material and having means foraccurately measuring the material before delivering it to the molds; toprovide a tile machine having packing or compressing mechanismassociated therewith by means of which the material in the molds may bepressed to the desired form; to provide a tile machine adapted to givethe freshly made tiles a waterproof or coloring coat before theirremoval from the molds; to provide a tile machine having mechanismadapted to sever the adjacent tiles while in the molds and provide cleancut edges therefor; and to provide an improved mechanism for removingthe completed tiles from the molds.

A specific construction embodied in said invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, vertical section of a tile machine embodiedin this invention, with parts in elevation and showing one mold carriagein section at the tile discharging end of the machine, and one moldcarriage in side elevation at the compressing end of the machine, andthe compressing mechanism in section. Fig.2 is a fragmentary top planView of the main frame, the track and the carriage at the dischargingend of the machine, and with the mold filling and compressing mechanismsremoved, and with the supporting frames for the cutting and fillingmechanisms in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one ofthe knives. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1with parts removed. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through themeasuring device and transfer truck, and looking toward the dischargeend of the machine, with the glazing tank removed. Fig. 6 is a sectiontaken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, with parts removed. Fig. 7 is a transversesection of the mold carriage with the partitions removed and with thebottom mold plates elevated to discharge the tile. Fig. 8 is a rear endelelongit-udinal,

vation of one of the mold carriages with parts removed. Fig. 9 is atransverse section of one of the mold carriages. Fig. 10 is a sectiontaken on line 10-10 of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is an enlarged detailof thelocking means for the partitions. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section ofone of the carriages and the cutting means for severing the tiles, andshowing the cutting means in elevated position in dotted lines.

In the construction shown, a frame 1 is provided upon which the tileforming mechanism is mounted, and for convenience of description the end2 of the frame will be referred to as the discharging end of the frameand the end 3 as the packing end of the frame.

Extending longitudinally of the frame along one side thereof is a maintrack 4 which is interrupted near the center of the frame by a transfertrack 5 which extends transversely of the frame and below the level ofthe main track 4. Mounted to run on the transfer track 5 is the transfertruck 6, on which are two tracks 7 and 8, which eX- tend longitudinallyof the frame 1 on the same level as the track 4, and are adapted to bebrought into register or alinement with said track 4.

Mounted on the frame 1 at the rear of the track 4 and above the carriage6 is the measuring and filling hopper 9 which is supported on the frame1 by means of a sheet metal frame 10. The hopper is open at its bottomand the bottom margins 11 thereof are curved to form the arc of acircle, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, and a shaft 12 is journaledlongitudinally of the hopper between said margins 11. Rigidly mounted onthe shaft 12 and adapted to revolve between the margins 11 is themeasuring cylinder 13, which is open on one side the full length thereofto receive the material from the hopper 9 when the opening is up. Thewalls of the measuring cylinder 13 are braced by stays 14 radiating fromthe shaft 12. At one end of the shaft 12, on

the outer side of the frame 10, is a crank 15 by means of which thecylinder may be rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5 todump the contents of the cylinder. A deflecting plate 16 is hinged inthe forward portion of the hopper in position to overlap the jointbetween the cylinder andthe hopper and when the hopper is rotated .todumping position it tilts the bottom of the plate inwardly so that itmay bear on the outer surface of the cylinder, and when the cylinder isreturned to normal position said plate scrapes off the adhering materialon the outer surface of the cylinder.

The tiles are formed in molds in the mold carriages 17 and 18 which aremounted to travel on the tracks 4, 7 and 8. Preferably two carriages areused simultaneously, though three may be employed if desired. Each ofsaid carriages 17 and 18 comprises a box frame having trucks or wheels19 thereon adapted to travel on said tracks, and the ends of thecarriage are of less height than the sides, as shown more clearly inFigs. 7, 8 and 10. In the upper portion of the box frame are a pluralityof vertically movable mold plates 20 which are formed on their uppersurfaces to conform to one surface of the tile to be formed. Said moldplates 20 are supported upon the upper ends of the rods 21, which aresupported at their lower ends on vertically movable bars 22 which areslidably mounted in the box frame. The rods 21 pass through a floor orguide plate 23 which is secured to the side walls of the carriage at apoint sufiiciently below the top of the carriage to permit the plates 20to rest thereon when at their lowest limit of movement. Coiled springs24 are carried on the rods 21 and bear at their upper ends against theplate 23 and at their lower ends against the bars 22. At the end of thecarriage adjacent to the discharge end of the frame 1 is journaled astud shaft 25 which is slightly to one side of the center of thecarriage and which has an angular outer end. On said stud shaft 25 is asprocket wheel 26 which is in alinement with a sprocket wheel 27 on astud shaft 28 journaled at the bottom of the carriage directly below theshaft 25. A sprocket chain 29 is carried on said sprocket wheels, and ashaft 30 extends longitudinally of the carriage and is journaled in thebars 22 centrally between their ends. The ends of the carriage areprovided with vertical slots 31 through which the shaft projects.

On the end of the shaft 30 adjacent to the sprocket wheels 26 and 27,and slightly out of alinement therewith, is a sprocket wheel 32 which isalso engaged by one lap of the chain 29. On each end of the carriage andadjacent to the slot 31 is rigidly secured a vertical rack 33 in whichmesh gears 34 which are rigidly secured on the shaft 30. hen the studshaft 25 is rotated the sprocket chain 29 causes the shaft 30'to rotateand the gears 34 travel up or down the racks 33, and the shaft 30thereby moves the bars 22 vertically which in turn move the mold plates20. At the discharge end of the machine is a crank 35 having a socketadapted to receive the angular end of the stud shaft 25 when thecarriage is at that end of the frame 1. The crank is adapted to operatethe mechanisms for raising and lowering the mold plates 20.

At the ends of the mold plates 20 and separating the same from eacliother and from the ends of the carriage are the mold partitions 36 whichare slidably mounted in grooves in the side walls of the carriage. Saidpartitions are shaped at their upper ends to conform to the uppersurfaces of the tiles and they ex-.

tend downwardly'through the floonor guide plate 23 and are provided'attheir lower edges with laterally turned flanges 37. Rods 38 are mountedat their upper ends in the guide plate 23 and at theirlower ends intransverse beams 39 supported on the sides of the carriage. A bufier 40is carried on the upper end of each rod 38 immediately below the plate23 and acts to limit the upward movement of the partitions. Springs 41are carried on the rods 38 and bear at their upper ends against theflanges 37, and at their lower ends against the beams '39. Extendinglongitudinally of the carriage beneath the partitions 36 and rigidlysecured to the flanges 37 is a lockingbar 42 which projects at its endsthrough slots 43 in the ends of the carriage. The ends of the lookingbar are provided with notches or teeth 44 and pivoted on the end wallsabove said ends are the pawls 45 which are adapted to engage saidnotches with their lower ends, and between their upper ends and the endwalls of the carriage are springs 46 which act to force the upper endsof the pawls outwardly and hold the lower ends thereof in engagementwith the notches. For the purpose of throwing the pawls 45 out ofengagement with the notches 44, each pawl is provided with an arm 46which'extends below the bar 42, and a lever 47 is pivoted on a rod 48extending transversely of the carriage beneath the bar 42, and pivotedto said lever are push rods 49 which extend through the end walls of thecarriage and bear against the arms 46. When said lever is turned in onedirection it forces the push rods 49 outwardly, thereby forcing the arms46 outwardly and carrying the pawls out of contact with the ends of thebar 42.

After the material has been placed in one of the mold carriages from thehopper 9, the carriage is moved to the packing end 3 of the frame 1where the material is pressed into shape. For the purpose of compressingthe material a tilting frame 50 is pivoted at one end to the end 3 ofthe frame 1. Said tilting frame lies between the track rails 4 andnormally on a level therewith. Journaled in the frame 1 beneath the freeend of a tilting frame is a shaft 51 on which are cams 52 adapted tobear on the under side of the frame 50. On one end of the shaft 51 is acrank 53 by means of which the shaft may be rotated to cause the cams 52to tilt the frame 50, and thereby tilt the carriage, as shown at 18 inFig. 1.

The frame 1 is provided at the end 3 with side members 54 which extendabove the top of the carriage and are provided in their inner faces,near the tops thereof, with longitudinal grooves 55. Slidably mounted insaid grooves 55 is a wedge member 56, having its thick end directedtoward the end 3 of the frame 1. The upper surface of the member 56 isparallel with the tracks 4 while the under surface inclines downwardlytoward the end 3. Said wedge member 56 is provided with longitudinallyextending, centrally disposed slots 57 and 58, the upper edges of whichare built up at 59 so'that they are parallel with the lower edges, or inother words, they incline downwardly toward the end 3 of the frame 1, sothat each slot is of the same depth throughout its length.

Mounted'on the underside of the wedge member 56 is the upper mold plate60 which is provided in its upper surface with grooves 61 adapted toreceive tongues 62 on the wedge member, as shown more clearly in- Fig.10. The tongues 62 and grooves 61 act to hold the plate 60 in properrelation to the member 56. Arms 63 and 64 project upwardly from theplate 60 through the slot-s 57 and 58 respectively. The arm 63 isprovided with gears 65 which are journaled on a shaft 66 in the arm, andare adapted to travel on cogs at the sides of the slot 57. Pawls 67 arepivoted on the arm and are adapted to engage the gears 65 and lock theplate 60 to the wedge member during the backward movement of said membertoward the end 3 of the frame, so that the plate will be pulledlongitudinally off from the tiles with the wedge member after thecompressing operation. The arm 64 is provided with rollers 65 whichtravel on the wedge member at the sides of the slot 58. For the purposeof operating the wedge member 56 a screw shaft 69 has threadedengagement in a cross bar 70 carried on the ends of the side members 54which are adjacent to the end 3 of the frame 1. The inner end of saidshaft is rotatively connected in the end of the wedge member and isadapted to move the wedge member longitudinally. The bar 70 serves tobrace the side members 54 at one end, and at their other end is a tierod 71.

The mold plate 60 is of a width to fit between the side walls of thecarriage, and is formed on its under side to conform to the uppersurface of the tile and the upper edges of the partitions 36. Said plate60 is provided at its end adjacent to the end 3 of the frame 1 with adown-turned flange 72 which engages over the end of the carriage, asshown in Fig. 1, and prevents the plate from slipping on the carriagewhen the wedge member'56 is being advanced.

After the tiles have been sufiiciently packed or pressed the carriage islowered back onto the track 4 and is moved toward the end 2 of the frame1 to the position which the car 17 occupies in Fig. 1. As the carriageapproaches the limitof its movement in that direction the tiles may begiven a coating of waterproofing or coloring'material from a tank 73which is supported over the track 4 by means of a supporting frame 74 onthe end 2 of the frame 1, and at the rear of the track 4. The tank 73 isprovided with a slide bottom 75, below which is a measuring compartment76 which is adjustably secured on the lower portion of the tank by bolts77 passing through slots in the measuring compartment. The compartment76 is provided with an outlet 78 in its bottom which is controlled byaslide 79. A knife or wiper 80 is adjustably supported on a bracket 81suspended from the hopper, and its lower edge is shaped to conform tothe upper surface of the tiles. Said knife is. adjusted so that as thecarriage passes beneath it, it will wipe or scrape off from the tilesany excess of coloring or waterproofing material.

A shaft 82 extends longitudinally of the frame 74 at the rear thereof,and slightly above the top of the carriage. Journaled on said shaft is aplurality of arms 83 which are spaced the same distance apart as thepartitions 36, and are adapted to extend forwardly directly above saidpartitions when the carriage is at the limit of its movement toward theend 2 of the frame 1. The outer ends of said arms 83 are rigidlyconnected together by means of a bar 84, and on the under side of eacharm, at its outer end, is a knife 85 which extends slightly below theunder surface of the arm and the edge of which is of the same shape asthe upper edge of the partitions 36. On the outer end of one of the arms83 is a spring hook 86 adapted to engage in a notch or recess 87 in thefront side of the carriage when the knives are down, and hold the knivesfrom rising. Secured on the frame 74 above the outer ends of the arms isa hook 88 adapted to hold the knives up out of contact with thepartitions, so that the carriage may clear the knives when it is beingmoved on the track 4.

The operation of the construction shown is as follows: The mold carriageis run onto the track 8 of the transfer truck 6 and the truck is movedrearwardly to bring the carriage beneath the measuring hopper 9 wherethe desired quantity of material is emptied into the mold by means ofthe cylinder 13. The truck 6 is then run forwardly to bring the carriageinto alinement with the track 4. The carriage is then run to the side ofthe carriage. The downward movement of the plate 60, which rests on thepartitions 36, moves the partitions downwardly against the action ofthe-springs 41. The partitions carry the locking bar 42 downwardly andthe pawls 45 engage the notches in the ends of the bar and prevent thepartitions from returning upwardly. After the material has beencompressed the carriage is lowered back to the track 4 and is movedtoward the opposite end of the frame 1. As the carriage passes beneaththe tank 7 3 coloring or waterproofing material may be placed on thetiles if desired. As the carriage reaches the limit of its movementtoward the end 2 of the frame 1, the end of the stud shaft 25 enters thesocket in the crank 35. The knife arms 83 are then lowered to bring theknives down onto the partitions and sever any material which may overlapthe partitions. The hook 86 holds the arms down while the tiles arebeing elevated from the carriage. The crank 35 is then operated to causethe shaft 30 to travel upwardly in the slots 31 thereby carrying themold plates 20 up out of the carriage against the tension of the springs24,

as shown in Fig. 7. The tiles may then be removed from the plates 20 andthe plates are returned to normal position by the springs 24 or by theaid of the crank 85. The lever 47 is then operated to release the pawls45 from the locking bar 42, and the partitions return to normal positionby the action of their springs. The carriage may then be returned to thetransfer truck 6 to be again filled.

By means of the truck 6 which brings the carriage out of alinement withthe track 4 when being filled, it is possible to use two or threecarriages on the machine at the same time.

While I have shown and described but one specific embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that many details of the constructionshown may be varied or omitted without departing from the scope of theclaims.

I claim:

1. A tile machine, comprising a track, a mold carriage adapted to run onsaid track, a movable mold plate in the carriage, means adapted to fillthe carriage above said plate with tile material, means at one end ofthe track adapted to tilt the carriage, means adapted to compress thematerial, and means at the opposite end of the track adapted to elevatesaid plate from the carriage.

2. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a track on the frame, a moldcarriage movable on the track, a vertically movable mold plate in thecarriage, measuring means adapted to deliver material to the carriage,means at one end of the frame adapted to tilt the carriage, compressingmeans above the tilting means adapted to compress the material, andcooperating means on the carriage and on the opposite end of the frameadapted to elevate said plate to lift the tiles from the carriage.

3. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a track thereon, a carriagemovable on said track, measuring means at one side of the trackadaptedto deliver material to the carriage, means extending transversely of thetrack and adapted to transfer the carriage from the track to saidmeasuring means, means adapted to compress the material in the carriage,and coacting means on the frame and carriage adapted to elevate thecompleted tile from the carriage.

4. A tile machine, comprising a frame, atrack extending longitudinallyof the frame, a mold carriage movable on the track, vertically movablepartitions in the carriage dividing it into separate molds, means forfilling said molds, means on the frame adapted to compress the materialin the molds and force the partitions downwardly, means on the carriageadapted to lock the partitions against return, and means piv-' oted onthe frame and adapted to act in conjunction with the partitions to severthe tiles at the joints between the molds.

5. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a track on the frame, a carriagemovable on the track, measuring means supported on the frame at one sideof the track, a transfer truck movable transversely of the track andadapted to move the carriage to and from the measuring means,compressing means at one end of the frame adapted to compress thematerial in the carriage, and means at the opposite end of the frameadapted to elevate the completed tiles from the carriage.

6. A tile machine, comprising a frame, an interrupted track extendinglongitudinally of the frame, a mold carriage on said track, a fillingdevice supported on the frame at one side of the track, a transfer truckmovable on the frame between the track and the filling device, tracks onsaid truck on a level with the interrupted track, tilting means pivotedon the frame at one side of the transfer truck and adapted to tilt thecarriage, tile compressing means movably supported on the frame abovethe. tilting means, and means movably supported on the frame at theopposite side of the transfer truck and adapted to sever the material onthe carriage when the carriage is beneath the same.

7. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a track on said frame, a moldcarriage movable on said track, vertically movable mold plates in thecarriage, vertically movable partitions between said plates andproviding a plurality of molds, means adapted to fill the molds withtile material, tilting means pivoted at one end of the frame and adaptedto tilt the carriage, compressing means slidably mounted on the frameabove said tilting means and adapted to compress the material in themolds and move said partitions downwardly, locking means on the carriageadapted to lock said partitions at the downward limit of their movement,means on the carriage adapted to release said partitions, and coactingmeans on the opposite end of the frame and on the carriage adapted toelevate the mold plates.

8. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a track extending longitudinallyof the frame, a carriage movable on the track, mold plates in thecarriage, means on the carriage adapted to raise and lower said plates,movable partitions between the plates, a looking bar connecting saidpartitions, means on the carriage adapted to lock the bar against upwardmovement, means on the frame adapted to supply material to the carriage,a tilting frame at one end of the track, means adapted to tilt the framewhen the carriage is above the same and thereby tilt the car, meansmounted on the frame above the tilting frame and adapted to compress thematerial in the carriage and move the partitions downwardly, and meansmounted on the opposite end of the frame and adapted to coact with saidpartitions to sever the tile material.

9. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a broken main track on the frame,a transfer truck movable on the frame through the break in the maintrack, tracks on the truck on the level with the main track, a measuringhopper adjacent to'the break in the main track, a carriage mounted torun on said tracks and receive material from the measuring hopper,compressing means at one end of the main track adapted to cooperate withthe carriage to compress the material, means supported on the frame andadapted to deliver a coating to the material after it is compressed,means for severing the material, and means for discharging the materialfrom the carriage.

10. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a main track on the frame, atransfer track extending laterally from the main track, a measuringdevice adjacent to the transfer track, a carriage adapted to run on themain track, means adapted to transfer the carriage on the transfer trackfrom the main track to the measuring device and back, means adapted tocompress the material in the carriage, and means adapted to eject thematerial from the carriage.

11. A tile machine, comprising a frame, a track on the frame, a carriageon the track, vertically movable mold plates in the carriage, verticallymovable partitions separating the mold plates, compressing means adaptedto compress material on said plates and move the partitions downwardly,means adapted to lock the partitions against upward movement, andcoacting means on the carriage and frame adapted to elevate the moldplates.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo witnesses.

I AREND WICHERTJES. Witnesses:

JOHN KBEKEL, ROBT. KLo'rz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of ZPatents, Washington, I). G. a

